Control mechanism for excavating-machines.



W. H. GADE,

SONTROLMECHANISM FOR EXCAVATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED Ium: 25. Ism.

L265,M Bamm-,ed May 7,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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u f u I' gg l I l rl I IS Q I *Y w I f I i I l u N C' w JI l fr l W. H.GE.

CONTROL MECHANSM FOR EXCAVATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 25. 1914.

LQESAQS. Patented May 7, 191s,

'WILLIAM H. G-ADE, OF IOWA FALLS, IOWA.

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR EXCAVATING-MACI'IINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May "Z, i948.

Application filed .Tune 25. 1914. Serial No. 847,339.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM II. GADE, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Iowa Falls, in the county of Hardin and State of Iowa,have invented a certain new and useful Control Mechanism forExcavating-h/Iachines, of which the following is a speciiication.

The object of my invention is to provide a control mechanism forexcavating machines of compact and convenient arrangement.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a mechanism capableof being operated by a single person without requiring such person tomove from a predetermined position in order to operate the mechanismactuating the many devices with the excavating machine.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means for operatingcertain of the clutch mechanisms whereby the engineer or operator maycontrol certain of the movements of the excavating machine by pushingwith his knee, if he be in sitting position or by swaying his body, ifhe be standing up.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in certaindetails in the construction, combination and arrangement of the Ivariousparts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, ashereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l shows a top or plan view of one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 shows an end view of certain of the parts thereof.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 2.

' Fig. 4 shows an elevation of my improved.

clutch mechanism, which 1s used in connection with my invention.

Fig. 5 is a vertical, sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4,and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the numerals 13 and15 to indicate generally the end and side members of the supportingframe upon which my invention is installed. Journaled transversely ofthe frame is the main shaft 55 whereon the various elements of myinvention are mounted. Adjacent to and parallel with' the shaft 55 asecond shaft 56 is journaled to the frame, one end of the shaft 56 beingsupported by one of the pair of intermediate frame members or braces 24.A gear 70 is fixed to the shaft 55 and a pinion 69 is fixed to the shaft56 in position to mesh with the gear 7() whereby rotation may beimparted from the latter shaft to the former shaft. Secured to the shaft56 is a pulley wheel 57 adapted to be connected to any suitable sourceof power.

It will be understood that the braces 24 are disposed adjacent to thecenter of the supporting frame and are adapted to support a suitableplatform (not shown) where the operator may either sit or stand. Forthis reason each of the devices hereafter described must be so placedand connected that they may be operated by the shaft 55 and yet theoperative connections between such device and the shaft must be soarranged that they may be actuated by the operator without his having tomove from position between the braces 24.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 55 at opposite sides of the braces 24 aredrums 73 and 74. It may be mentioned that the drum 74 is only partiallyvisible on the Fig. 1 of the drawings because of being somewhat obscuredby a second drum placed thereabove, which will be hereafter described.At one side of the drum 74 spaced therefrom a second drum 75 isrotatably mounted on the shaft 55. It will be understood that the drums73 and 74 are designed to be actuated to retract cables whereby the boomof the excavating machine may be moved from side to side. The drum 75 isdesigned to carry another flexible device, which may extend over apulley on the end of the boom and operate independently of the bucketfor lowering large tile or the like into the ditch, which has been madeby the excavating machine. Adjacent to the drum 75 a sprocket wheelhaving a hub 64 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 55, which is designedto be operatively connected with a fourth drum 66, the latter beingdesigned to carry a cable connected with the bucket on the boom wherebythe latter may be drawn toward the excavator thereby scraping dirt intothe bucket. In the present form of my device, I have shown theconnections between the drum 66 and said sprocket as consisting of ashaft 62, which is spaced above and parallel with the shaft'55 and atone end has the sprocket 63 connected by a middle of the shaft on whichsaidcollar is ruin me interior OI Ene/Ilalge 'l 1. L11 the side ofeacharm 9 adjacent tothe drum or sprocket asthe case may be, the notches 81are cut thereby formingshoulders and a slot whereinthe. kfriction block82 may be slidably received: The use ofthe friction blocks 82 sliding inthevslot formed by thenotch 8l permits the adjustment to be made to takecare of any wear upon the permanent members by changing the thickness ofthe blocks82.

Extending inwardly from each of the frictionshoes iare apair of brackets83,-,

provided with` openings invalinement with each other, in which aremounted rods 84. Pivota-lly mounted on the rods 84,*near each ofthe-brackets 83, isa link 85, extending inwardly. Slidablyy mounted onthe shaft adjacent to each hub or. collar 78 is a collar 86 which isyieldingly held awayy from the hubl 78 by means of springs 87. The innerends ofthe links8 are pivoted to the sides of the collar- 86 atV pointsin line with the mounted l Itwill thus be seen that-each friction shoeis connected with the collar 86 by apair of drums 73, and 7 5thereismoun-tedfon'theshaftl adjacent to the collar SGa collar 93.V Foroperating thecollars 98 adj acentl to the sprockets 7lV and the drum'75,lhave'- pivoted to the frame levers 94 and 95for1ned-in whichiareelongated Slots 96wliich reCei-'ve pins 97 on the collars 93.For'opera-tingr-said collar 93' adjacent to the drums-73, I haveprovided levers 97a, having bifurcatedA arms fulcrumedfat` one end onthe frame and centrally pivoted to short links 98-which are pivotedtothe collar 93 on` oppositeVv sides thereof. y A

For operating said leversj97a I'haveprovided the following` mechanism:Connecting the ends of the levers97, oppositethe placesV where they arepivoted to 4the frame-,g isna transverse connecting member 98a. Boltedonthe platform are pairs ofbracketsr99; each-pair being arranged inalinement lon; gltudinally of the platformuand the mem bers4 ofeachlpair being, spaced Kfrom Kthe members ofthe other. pair laterallyinfalinement therewith: Pivoted tothe respective pairs ofibrackets 99andv detachably mounted thereon are thel lower endsoftwo uprightarmslOO. The-upper ends of the arms 100` are connected by a longitudinalmember 101. Above the members 101 are bars 102,k

detachably secured to the members 101 by means of brackets 103 bolted tosaid bars and' in which said members 101 are rotatably mounted. Mountedin the ends of the bars 102 are bolts 104.- which are rotatably extendedthrough holes in the members 98 and are held in position by means ofnuts 105. The members 102 are so located with relation to each otherthat the operator of the machine may stand between the two members 102and by leaning one way or the other may move them with his body, therebyoperating the respective clutches whereby the drums 7 3 and 7 4 arethrown into gear with the shaft 55. Suitable detachable bearings 20 arearranged in alinement with each other and rotatably mounted in saidbearings is a transverse rock shaft 106 having at one end a lateralextension 107 pivoted to the lever 92, which operates the clutch for thesprocket 64. Formed on the opposite end of the rock shaft 106 is alateral extension 10S, on the end of which is an upward extension 109,extending in a position where it would be readily accessible to anoperator who is between the members 102. The extension 109 and the partscoperating therewith are so arranged that rearward movement of theextension tends to throw the clutch into engagement. It will be seenthat by this arrangement the operator will pull toward him the extension109 when he desires to have the bucket on the boom drawn toward him toscrape up the dirt thereby tending to make the motion, which controlsthe movement of the boom natural.

In the practical operation of my device, it will be understood that theparts herein before described are designed to be attached to the framework ofa grading or excavating machine of the type, which is designed tobe taken apart when it is being shipped. For this reason I provide theunitary arrangement herein shown, so that the controlling means may beremoved from the machine and shipped as a unit. It will also be notedthat the arrangement of the controlling levers relative to the positionof the operator is such that the movement made by the operator followsthe direction of the movements, which he intends the moving parts of theexcavating machine to take. For instance, if he desires to move the boomto the right, he will lean against or push on the right hand bar 102 tothereby engage the proper clutch to throw the boom to the right. If itis desired to pull the bucket up, he pulls the lever 92 toward him.Should it be desired to draw the bucket toward the machine for scrapingdirt. into the bucket, he draws the extension 109 toward him. The lever95 is also so placed relative to the position of the operator that hedoes not need to lean far to reach it to operate the secondary hoistingdevice upon the boom. Adjacent to the lever 95 the hand lever 127 ismounted, which is in turn operatively connected with the bracket 126whereby the unwinding of the drum 7 5 may be retarded. The lever 94 isnot placed adjacent to the operator as there is no necessity for him tooperate the balance of the machine at the time he operates .this leveras this lever controls only the movement of the entire excavator overthe ground. It will be seen from the foregoing that -I have provided aconvenient arrangement of controlling devices whereby a single personmay readily operate without unnecessary exertion all the various partsof an excavating machine and I have also provided a clutch device tocoperate with my controlling means in imparting power from the mainpower shaft to the various drums.

Some changes may be made in the details of the construction of myexcavating machine without departing from its essential features, and itis my intent to cover by this application any such changes which may beincluded within the scope of the following claims:

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a main shaft, a pair of spaceddrums rotatably mounted thereon, means for operatively connecting saiddrums with the shaft, a lever operatively connected with each of thelast described means, a bar pivoted at each end to one of said levers, apair of spaced parallel bars extended laterally from the intermediateportion of said irst described bar, the parts being so disposed that theoperator may move the first described bar longitudinally in eitherdirection by placing himself between the last two described bars andpushing against one of them whereby the drums may be selectivelyrendered operative or both drums may be rendered inoperative.

2. In a device of the class described, a main shaft, means for impartingrotation thereto, a pair of drum devices rotatably mounted upon theshaft, a clutch device adapted to operatively connect each drum with theshaft, a lever adapted to move each clutch device into and out ofoperative engagement, the levers being so arranged that moving them insimilar directions will render one clutch inoperative and the otheroperative and being so arranged that in one position both clutches willbe inoperative, a bar extended between the ends of said levers, a pairof upwardly extending frames adapted to be pivotally connected at theirlower edges with a support and having their forward upper endsoperatively connected with said bar whereby an operator standingpositioned between said frames may render either clutch operative bypushing away

